Topic: Yoshi's Island DS

[KDR_11k]

You eat mushrooms because you're hungry? I eat them bcause I want to grow bigger and smash the ceiling with my head.

[Pikachelsea]

I have Yoshi's Island DS, and am currently half-way through world 5. Pretty good stuff so far (and some very challenging levels in there), but as mentioned earlier this game is very reminiscient of the original Yoshi's Island, not that that's a bad thing.

Pros:

- Same solid sidescrolling gameplay
- Throwing eggs feels the same (thank God)
- Changing babies to achieve different goals is usually fun, clever, and well-executed
- Art style is different enough to feel fresh but not too different

Cons:

- I don't like the music as much as the music in Yoshi's Island... just not as catchy and upbeat
- THEY TOOK OUT ITEMS!! wtf. On the one hand, this makes the levels a lot harder because you actually have to finish with 30 stars to get 100%... can't just whip out the "+20 stars" item. However, I don't understand why they had to do this. In the first game, you only had to get to the end with all 30 stars on the boss levels... now you have to do it with every level. On the other hand, this adds an extra (albeit annoying) degree of challenge... so if you're into that, move this to the "pros" list.
- You can't push Chomp Rocks at the speed of light and gain ultra momentum, they only go a very slow top speed (minor complaint)
- There is the occasional "Donkey Kong 64" moment when you see an item you can't get, realize you have the wrong baby and it's too late to change to the right one. VERY IRRITATING when this happens since every level has a character coin and you have to have the right baby to collect it. Having the wrong baby at the time usually means you will have to play through the whole level again just to get it.
- Maybe it's just me but it seems like there are lots more "points of no return" in this game than the original. e.g. You go to the next room, and you can't go back... or you fall down a cliff and can't get back up once you're down there. Again, not a huge deal but it gets irritating when you realize you're not going to get 100% because you saw two ways to go and chose the wrong way.

I haven't beaten the whole game yet but what I've seen so far is good overall and I'd say it's definitely worth a purchase for any fan of the original.

[BranDonk Kong]

It's not drug abuse as far as Yoshi's concerned, I'm talking about the developers here. Maybe it's meant to tell you to "Just Say No".

[18 Days]

Bought it the other day. Im through world one.
I can't say I'm impressed.
I mean the game is good but it just doens't feel right. The game is so close to the original Yoshi's Island that it could almost be an alternative set of maps. Despite this it lacks the polish. As whiny as it sounds, I have a huge problem with the animation. Yoshi doesn't seem to ascend stairs properly, he doesn't seem to run or walk properly. Why do I need a run button now? Especially how it seems to have no bearing on jump distance. Why can't the DS render transparency? Why do the dual screens seem to be slightly out of sync? The "dead zone" between the screens doesn't seem to correlate witht he actualy distance between the DS screens. Why are the buttons unresponsive? And why are extra lives SO BLOODY ABUNDANT? I had 37 by the end of the THIRD LEVEL. I don't even know how many I have now, I suspect it could already be maxed out.

I just have all this little problems with the game and they seem to indicate a lack of polish.

[BranDonk Kong]

The graphics are actually worse than Yoshi's Island on the SNES, which is disappointing. It's kind of like when there's an animated movie, then they make a series on network TV and it looks like they had the right idea, just the wrong artists. It will take you absolutely forever to finish the game, and I mean just getting through it, not completing it, which is sort of a plus.

[Chode2234]

I never enjoyed Yoshi Island on the GBA (never played it on snes), but I always assumed it was because of the weird controls tacked onto the GBA.  I would like to get it for the VC.

Bu if the other one pissed me off a little, with the shooting of eggs and the wierd proportions, is the DS one any better?

[hudsonhawk]

The more I play this game the more disappointed I am with the purchase.  I thought 1up's review was dead on, it plays it 100% safe, adds no innovation whatsoever.   This game has no soul.

There's a wealth of 2d side-scrollers available now from Nintendo for the DS but they all feel sort of samey and uninspired.  The only one I've liked was Kirby Canvas Curse, and to a lesser extent New Super Mario Bros.  

It seems to me like Nintendo's increased reliance on outsourcing is hurting their quality.

[KDR_11k]

There's a wealth of 2d side-scrollers available now from Nintendo for the DS

Not many if you don't count the bad ones.

[RiskyChris]

Yoshi's Island is probably my favorite platformer by a few leagues.  I'm really afraid to try this DS game, in fear of it toppling the legend I've built the "series" up to be.  Should I avoid it?